Moving On
by coldfusion9797
Summary: Brax returns two years after his 'death' to see how Ricky and Casey are fairing only to find that she's moved on. Will he do the same? Oneshot.


**AN: A short oneshot inspired by the episode that aired in Australia on 23.06.15. I'd love it if the writers took the show in this direction. Enjoy.**

Brax peered through the window into the lit up flat. He'd been away for two years now and staying away from Ricky and his son was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. But he loved them, so he'd stayed away to ensure their safety.

He wasn't even sure what he meant to do now. All he knew was that he had to see them, whether that meant they'd see him too, he'd decide later. For now, he just had to know that they were okay.

He saw his baby son run into view. Casey had grown so much, he wasn't really a baby anymore. He was a toddler, wandering around on his own two feet. He'd missed so much of his son's life already.

The little fella had a mop of brown hair and big, blue eyes. He was not unlike the uncle he'd been named after.

Ricky followed behind him, a smile on her face as she scooped the wayward child up.

"Where do you think you're going?" she laughed, her unguarded smile brought one to his own face. They seemed to be managing okay without him. It made him wonder if coming back was for their good, or just his own. Of course in two years they'd moved on from his death, he'd expected that. Casey had never even known him. Would it be unfair of him to just walk back into their lives now? They looked content enough, could he knowingly turn their lives upside down again?

As he took in more details he noticed there were two reasons for Ricky's contentment and realised that becoming a part of their lives again might not be an option.

One was the two rings he saw on her left hand. The other was the swell of her belly that she tried arrange her son comfortably around.

She really had moved on, but then he couldn't blame her, he'd done the same thing when Charlie died. It was impossible to mourn forever and as far as she knew he was dead.

It was strange though that she still lived in the flat and he realised then that she must have moved on with someone they knew.

His mind raced with the possibilities. Ash knew the truth, there was no way he would've made a move on Ricky knowing that. And he really couldn't see Ricky going for someone like Andy Barrett.

He didn't need to wonder anymore though when the answer to this question stepped into view.

"You want me to take him?" Kyle said, reaching for Casey and popping a kiss on Ricky's lips as he took the boy.

"Thanks," she smiled, "my back can't really handle two of them." Her hands dropped lovingly to her belly.

Kyle shifted Casey to one hip and with his other hand reached out and laid it softly Ricky's belly.

"It's going to be even more hectic when this little one gets here."

"Don't I know it, Daddy," she grinned, tousling little Casey's hair and tiptoeing to press a kiss to Kyle's mouth. Kyle looked the most at ease Brax had ever seen him. "Don't you think it's about time we kicked our boarders out? We really do need the big house now."

"What do you think, Case?" Kyle said. "You ready for your own room?"

Little Casey buried his face in Kyle's neck and Kyle tickled him to coax a smile from the boy. Casey laughed, which widened Ricky and Kyle's grins.

"Yeah, you are," Kyle said cheerfully to the boy.

Brax wasn't sure how to feel. They were obviously in a good place. They weren't just together, they were married, they were having a kid. They'd committed to each other and made a life for themselves, one that didn't include him. He could be bitter about that, or he could be happy for them.

He thought about other people he'd lost. If Kyle had felt anything like he had when Casey died, and if Ricky felt anything like he had when Charlie had died, he couldn't be upset that they'd found each other. They were two of the people he loved most in the world and he wanted them to be alright. The happiness and security of his family was the only thing he'd ever wanted.

Watching them together he knew they'd both found exactly what they needed.

Kyle had always wanted a family of his own and Ricky needed someone to take care of her and her child. Brax knew there was no one who would be a better father to Casey than Kyle, he would love him like his own. He had no doubt they could do this for the rest of their lives.

So he walked away. Staying dead was the best thing he could do for them now.


End file.
